Continuing to deliver; confident in our outlook February 2025 Q3 2025 Interim Management Statement Lloyds Banking Group 23 October 2025 2024 Results Lloyds Banking Group 20th 1 Purpose Helping Britain Prosper Continued strategic delivery for customers and wider stakeholders Robust financial performance, with strong capital generation 2025 guidance improved excluding Q3 motor finance charge; confident in 2026 Lloyds Banking Group 2 Lloyds Banking Group 2 Continued strategic progress Full acquisition of Schro ...

Core Insights - The partnership between ABC Labs and CF Benchmarks is transforming digital asset investment, particularly with the launch of the LCAP token, which simplifies access to the crypto market for ordinary investors [1][2] Company Overview - ABC Labs is launching the LCAP token on the Reserve platform, which is described as the largest on-chain index provider for digital token funds (DTFs), akin to ETFs in traditional finance [2] - The Reserve platform currently holds $500 million in assets across various products, with LCAP recently accumulating $5 million in assets and around 20,000 on-chain holders [3] Product Details - LCAP provides diversified access to nearly the entire digital asset market, allowing users to invest in a single trade without navigating the complexities of multiple wallets [2][3] - The token is blockchain-native, managed by the Reserve team, and is tradable 24/7, unaffected by bank holidays or weekends [4] Market Context - There is a growing demand for crypto index products from both the crypto community and new investors looking to explore the digital asset space [3] - CF Benchmarks aims to establish a performance benchmark for the crypto asset class, similar to how MSCI and S&P serve equities, and Bloomberg serves fixed income [3]

Summary of Atlas Clear Holdings Conference Call (October 22, 2025) Company Overview - **Company Name**: Atlas Clear Holdings - **Ticker Symbol**: ATCH - **Industry**: Financial Services, Fintech - **Market Position**: Aiming to build a technology-enabled financial services platform to modernize trading, clearing, settlement, and banking for small to mid-sized financial institutions [1][6][9] Key Market Data - **Stock Price**: $0.40 as of October 14, 2025 - **Shares Outstanding**: Approximately 127 million - **Market Capitalization**: Over $50 million - **Average Daily Trading Volume**: Approximately 58 million shares [11][12] Core Business Strategy - **Target Market**: Underserved small to mid-sized financial institutions, including broker-dealers, hedge funds, and family offices [10][20] - **Mission**: To empower smaller financial institutions with technology and efficiency comparable to larger firms like Pershing and Fidelity [9][10] - **Key Offerings**: Integrated platform for trading, clearing, settlement, custody, and future banking services [14][15] Growth and Expansion Plans - **Strategic Acquisitions**: Recently acquired Wilson Davis and Company; plans to acquire Commercial Bancorp of Wyoming to enhance banking capabilities [16][41] - **Market Focus**: Targeting financial services firms with revenues up to $1 billion, which are historically underserved by larger clearing services [20] - **Future Plans**: Aiming for organic growth and selective acquisitions, including potential expansion into crypto and international markets by 2027 [52][54] Financial Performance and Projections - **Debt Management**: Successfully reduced debt from approximately $53 million to over $45 million; new financing includes $20 million in convertible debt with a floor of $0.75 [55][56] - **Revenue Growth**: Anticipated growth in correspondent clearing, underwriting, and stock loan services; reported a 42% month-over-month increase in stock loan transactions [58][59] - **Profitability Target**: Aiming for profitability by 2026 through scaling operations and adding new clients [62][63] Technology and Competitive Advantage - **Technology Differentiation**: Emphasizes flexibility and speed in product development compared to larger competitors; claims superior technology in certain aspects [68][70] - **Operational Efficiency**: Focus on automation and real-time data analytics to enhance scalability and reduce operational costs [26][69] Leadership and Management - **Experienced Leadership Team**: Comprised of industry veterans with extensive backgrounds in fintech and financial services [30][31][32] - **Board of Directors**: Includes experts in clearing, settlement, and trading, enhancing the company's strategic positioning [35][36][37] Challenges and Market Conditions - **Legacy Infrastructure Issues**: Identifies challenges posed by outdated systems that hinder growth for smaller financial institutions [23][24] - **Regulatory Environment**: Plans to navigate regulatory approvals for banking operations and digital asset custody [65][66] Conclusion - **Outlook**: Atlas Clear Holdings is positioned for significant growth in the financial services sector, targeting underserved markets with a scalable and integrated technology platform. The company is focused on strategic acquisitions, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing profitability by 2026 [19][60][62]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, the company reported net income of $458 million and earnings per share of $2.29, with a return on average common equity of 14.8% [15] - Revenue increased by 6% year-over-year, while expenses rose by 4.7%, leading to a pre-tax margin expansion of 200 basis points [17] - The company returned nearly 100% of its earnings to shareholders, contributing to a 5% decrease in shares outstanding [4][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Wealth Management assets under management reached $493 billion, up 11% year-over-year, with trust investment and servicing fees increasing by 5% [18] - Asset Servicing assets under custody and administration grew to $17 trillion, reflecting a 4% year-over-year increase, with Asset Servicing fees totaling $707 million, up 6% [19][20] - Asset Management launched 11 new ETF strategies, with liquidity remaining a standout area, reporting its 11th consecutive quarter of positive flows [10][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a 1% sequential increase in assets under custody and administration and a 4% increase in assets under management compared to the previous year [16] - Average deposits were $116.7 billion, down 5% compared to the second quarter, reflecting typical seasonal patterns [23] - The effective tax rate was 26.1%, up 70 basis points from the prior period due to higher tax impacts from international operations [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its "One Northern Trust" strategy, emphasizing organic growth and operational efficiency through AI and a client-centric operating model [4][5] - The Enterprise Growth Program is driving improvements in organic growth, particularly in private markets, with a focus on enhancing productivity and efficiency [5][6] - The company aims to deliver consistent financial performance and create enduring value for stakeholders, regardless of the broader economic environment [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate challenges in the investment product level and emphasized a focus on profitability over top-line growth [31][44] - The company anticipates continued gradual improvement in margins and overall growth, with a disciplined approach to managing expenses [13][40] - Looking ahead, management expects operating expense growth to remain below 5% for the full year and mid to high single-digit growth in net interest income [25] Other Important Information - The company has embedded AI in over 150 use cases, enhancing efficiency and client service across various business lines [6][67] - The introduction of a feeder fund structure by 50 South Capital provides Wealth clients direct access to top-tier alternative managers, reflecting ongoing innovation in investment offerings [9][78] - The company received recognition as the Best Administrator Overall Service Award and Custodian of the Year, validating its leadership in the industry [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: NII outlook and deposit trends - Management indicated that deposits performed in line with expectations and anticipated a slight pickup in Q4, with NII growth projected to be mid to high single digits [27][30] Question: Challenges at the investment product level - Management noted pressure on index products due to asset allocation and pricing, and emphasized a focus on improving product performance and pricing [31][32] Question: AUCA growth and outflows - Management explained that AUCA growth was driven by individual clients, with some outflows attributed to restructuring rather than client losses [35][36] Question: Expense growth and operating leverage - Management reaffirmed commitment to keeping expense growth below 5% and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve productivity and efficiency [39][40] Question: AI's impact across business lines - Management stated that AI is enhancing efficiency across all areas of the company, with specific applications in operations, technology, and client service [63][68] Question: Stablecoin and digital assets strategy - Management discussed the focus on tokenization rather than issuing a stablecoin, emphasizing the importance of interoperability and client demand in the digital asset space [70][71]

Core Insights - Coinbase has acquired investment platform Echo for nearly $375 million in a cash-and-stock deal, aiming to enhance fundraising tools on its platform [2][3] - The digital assets industry is experiencing increased deal-making activity, supported by a crypto-friendly administration in the U.S. [2] - Echo's platform facilitates capital raising and investment for the crypto community through private and public token sales [3][4] Company Developments - Coinbase plans to initially focus on crypto token sales via Echo's Sonar platform, with future plans to support tokenized securities and real-world assets [4] - Echo, founded by crypto trader Jordan Fish (known as "Cobie"), has assisted crypto projects in raising over $200 million since its inception two years ago [4] - In May, Coinbase completed a $2.9 billion acquisition of crypto options provider Deribit, enhancing its derivatives portfolio and international presence [5] Industry Trends - The acquisition of Echo aligns with a broader trend of increasing mergers and acquisitions within the cryptocurrency sector as companies seek to expand their offerings [2][3] - Kraken's recent $100 million acquisition of Small Exchange indicates a growing interest in establishing U.S.-based derivatives platforms [3]

Core Insights - Coinbase has agreed to acquire cryptocurrency investing platform Echo for $375 million, marking a significant move in the company's acquisition strategy [1][2] - The acquisition is part of a broader trend of increasing regulatory friendliness towards digital assets, aiming to enhance capital market accessibility and efficiency [2][3] Acquisition Details - The deal was announced on October 21 and is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Coinbase, which includes the purchase of Liquifi and the $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit [2][4] - Echo has facilitated over $200 million in fundraising through approximately 300 completed deals since its inception, indicating its effectiveness in the market [3] Strategic Goals - Coinbase aims to integrate Echo's tools to foster direct community participation in capital raising, starting with crypto token sales and eventually expanding to tokenized securities and real-world assets [3] - The acquisition aligns with Coinbase's goal to create more transparent capital markets and provide individual investors with opportunities to participate in private token sales [2][3] Future Plans - Coinbase is reportedly exploring further acquisitions, including a potential deal with BVNK, a London-based FinTech company specializing in stablecoin payment infrastructure, which could be valued between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion [5] - The company is also collaborating with Samsung to integrate the Coinbase One membership program into the Samsung Wallet app, reflecting a shift towards more user-friendly crypto adoption models [5][6]

Core Insights - The Federal Reserve is exploring the creation of a new payment account tailored for private sector use, particularly for fintech companies, which would limit the central bank's risk exposure [2][3][8] - The proposed payment account would be available to all legally eligible institutions and aims to support payment innovations, addressing the long-standing demand from fintechs for direct access to Fed services [3][4] - The Fed is shifting its perspective on digital payments and decentralized finance, with a focus on embracing innovation rather than resisting it, as articulated by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller [6][7] Group 1 - The payment account concept is intended to provide a "skinny" version of the Fed's master account, offering limited services to reduce risk for the central bank [8] - Fintech companies have been advocating for more access to the Fed's master account services to enhance their competitive position against traditional banks [4] - The Fed's Payments Innovation Conference highlighted the evolving landscape of digital payments and the importance of adapting to new technologies [6][7] Group 2 - The Trump administration previously supported digital payments and assets, indicating a governmental push towards modernizing payment systems [5] - Waller emphasized that the private sector should lead innovation, which the central bank must consider for its own systems [7] - The Fed's payments committee is recognizing the impact of decentralized finance and cryptocurrency on mainstream payment systems [6][7]

Market Trends & Dynamics - The rising value of 'gold' as a safe haven asset, with its market capitalization surpassing $30 trillion, is driving discussions comparing it to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies [1][2] - Discussions around 'market' trends encompass bear markets, Bitcoin's price movements relative to gold, and the impact of macroeconomic factors like inflation [2] - 'BTC' is trending due to comparisons with gold as an investment asset, focusing on market dynamics, price movements, and its role as 'digital gold' [3] Cryptocurrency & Blockchain Ecosystems - 'TEM' represents a blockchain ecosystem powering the MotoFi platform, connecting real-world motorcycle assets with blockchain finance in emerging markets [4] - MotoFi enables access to instant loans using AI-based vehicle valuation and on-chain transactions, with TEM as a utility token for fee discounts, rewards, and governance [4] - The MotoFi platform features a P2P digital asset marketplace with Trade-to-Earn rewards, staking, and gamified elements, with expansion plans into NFT integration and e-commerce [4] Sentiment & Market Timing - 'Friday' is trending due to positive sentiment and its use in Ethereum price predictions and market insights, marking important dates for financial and crypto discussions [5]

Identity solutions are critical for institutions to move onchain.At Sibos 2025, @SergeyNazarov highlights how @GLEIF and Chainlink are adapting existing identity sources, like GLEIF’s LEI, to be compatible with onchain systems, enabling financial institutions to meet identity requirements for digital assets.How Chainlink is powering global cross-chain identity ↓ ...

Core Insights - iTrustCapital has announced a unique integration with Coinbase Asset Management (CBAM) to allow Accredited Investors to hold participations in tax-deferred IRA accounts, marking a significant development in the digital asset IRA space [2][4]. Company Overview - iTrustCapital is the largest self-directed digital asset IRA technology provider in the US, managing over $7 billion in crypto assets [2]. - Coinbase Asset Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coinbase Global, Inc., known for its regulatory compliance and risk management in the crypto space [4][8]. Integration Details - The integration will initially feature a CBAM-managed Bitcoin yield strategy aimed at outperforming Bitcoin's price by providing Bitcoin's beta return plus additional yield [3]. - This partnership is expected to launch in Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026, expanding the range of supported assets for IRA customers [5][6]. Market Context - The integration follows an Executive Order signed by the Trump Administration in August, which promotes actively managed crypto strategies in retirement accounts [4]. - Bitcoin is currently valued at approximately $2.3 trillion, establishing itself as a "digital gold" and a "store of value" for both retail and institutional investors [5]. Strategic Benefits - The collaboration aims to provide institutional-grade yield products with robust security and high-quality service, catering to nearly 100,000 working professionals in the US [4]. - The tax efficiency of Bitcoin yield opportunities in an IRA allows investors to compound and shelter income from taxes, enhancing their retirement savings [5][6].